Method of inking printing forms



1934- A. KLUGE ET AL 1,980,969

METHOD OF INKING PRINTING FORMS Filed Dec. 30, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l a o 1 9 1 T1 2.

3mm Abel Kluge and Eneval Kluge Nov. 13, 1934. A. KLUGE AL 1,980,969

METHOD OF INKING PRINTING FORMS Filed Dec. :50, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 gnaw 1M Abel Kluge qnd Eneval Kluge Nov. 13, 1934.

A. KLUGE ET AL 1,980,969

METHOD OF INKING PRINTING FORMS Filed D80. 30, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A .x H

awe/MM Abel Klug and Enevcd Kluge Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES METHOD OF INKING' PRINTING FORMS Abel Kluge and Eneval Kluge, St. Paul, Minn, I

assignors to Brandtjen and Kluge, Inc., St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application December 30, 1932, Serial No. 649,570

9 Claims.

Our invention relates to an improved method] of inking printing forms, particularly as employed in platen job presses.

Pressmen engaged in general job work are often obliged to print from forms which properly should be supplied with ink in relatively different quantities at different parts thereof. However, with platen presses of the ordinary kind this is impossible of accomplishment, because the form rollers of the press cooperate with a distributing ink-disk which rotates to a considerable extent, and in an uncontrolled manner, the effect being to distribute the ink more or less evenly throughout the length of the form rollers and therefore over the whole form.

Numerous attempts have been made to solve the problem of inking different parts of the form in different degrees, and therein it has frequently been proposed to employ a fixed ink plate in place of the rotating disk and, by means of an adjustment of the fountain, to cause ink to be carried on to such plate in different degrees at various parts of the plate considered in the direction of the movement of the form rollers thereover. Such attempts, however, despite the employment of vibrator rolls and the like, have failed to obtain in any satisfactory degree a proper distribution of the ink and, where carried out, have resulted in more or less streaky printing.

It is the principal object of our invention to provide a method of inking printing forms, especially in platen job presses, which will permit ink to be applied to different parts of the form in different degrees and which will at the same time allow of satisfactory distribution, giving smooth and even printing. We attain this object by employing an ink-plate from which the ink is taken to the printing form by form rollers or the like, which plate receives ink from a fountain in different degrees at various parts of the plate in line with the movement of the form rollers, and shifting said plate, in successive cycles of the press, to a determined extent which is such as to produce satisfactory distribution but not sufficient to interfere with the characteristic inking of the plate being carried by the form rollers through to the form. One successful manner of shifting the plate is to rotate it through a determined angle at each cycle of the press, as by means of the disk rotating mechanism disclosed in our copending application filed December 30, 1932, Serial Number 649,568. Another is to rock the plate through a determined angle. And still other manners of shifting the plate, which may be circular or otherwise, are available.

In the practice of our method it is found that although, for any given job, the steps of shifting the plate can be uniform, it will often be desirable to vary the extent of the shifting for one job as distinguished from another. A few ex- 60. amples are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show diagrammatically, in Figs. 1-6 constituting the same, six reasonably typical conditions that may be encountered. In each diagram, A. represents an ink fountain of conventional form having a fountain roller 10, a fountain blade 11 and fountain screws 12 which are turned against the blade 11 to bring it more or less closely to the fountain roller at different localities along the length thereof, whereby the fountain roller is inked to a greater or less etxent at these localities. B represents the ink-plate (shown throughout the diagrams as in the form of a disk) to which ink is transferred from the fountain roller through ink rollers, which may be either the form rollers C shown in the-diagrams or inking rollers employed especially for transferring ink from the fountain roller to the ink-plate, the ink being then taken from the ink-plate to the form by form rollers as usual. D represents a form, which, like the ink-plate B, is traversed by the form rollers C. In Figs. 1-4 the ink-plate or disk )as it will hereinafter be termed, is shown as rotatable in clockwise direction, in determined steps, the extent of which is controlled by the operator. In Figs. 5 and 6 the disk is rockable in similar steps.

In Fig. 1, the form D is shown as being made upof a cut 13 and type matter 14, the latter requiring ink in relatively small quantity. Under these conditions, the pressman will adjust-the fountain screws 12 in such manner that the fountain feed roller 10 will be inked in line with the cut 13 at the portion :0 thereof between limits disposed substantially as indicated by the lines 15 and 16. The quantity of ink applied to said portion a: of the fountain feed roller 10 will be sufi'icient to meet the requirements of the cut 13. The adjustment of the feed screws 12 will be such as to effect the inking of the portion 11 of the fountain roller 10, in line with the type matter 14 and between limits substantially as indicated by the lines 17 and 18. The length of the steps taken by the disk B will be relatively short so that several steps of said disk are required in 95 shifting a point at the perimeter thereof through a distance corresponding to the distance between the form elements 13 and 14. Said portion y of the fountain feed roller 10 is supplied with ink relatively small quantity, but in an amount Jil sufficient to satisfy the requirements of that portion of the type matter 14 at the right of the line 19 projected from the left hand limit of the inked portion 11 of the feed roller 10. That portion of the type matter 14 to the left of said line 19 receives its requisite ink supply from the ink originating at the portion a: of the fountain roller and later carried over into line therewith by the disk B. Thus it is seen that the right and left hand limits of the inked portion a: of the fountain roller 10 (lines 15, 16) will coincide substantially with the right and left hand edges, respectively, of the cut 13, while the right hand limit (line 18) of the inked portion y of said fountain roller 10 will coincide with the right hand edge of the type mat ter 14. The disposition of the left hand limit (line 17) of the inked portion 11, however, will depend upon the extent of movement of the disk B at each step thereof and the length of the steps imparted to said disk will depend upon the relative spacing of the two form elements 13, 14 and the relative inking requirements 'of said elements. In the preferred practice, the user will adjust the. feed screws 12 and the disk turning mechanism according to his best judgment for a trial run. In adjusting the screws 12 toestablis'h the left hand limit (line v1'7) of the inked portion y, said limit will not be any farther to the right of the left hand edge of the type matter .14 thanis deemed essential, it being best that ink from por-.

tion y of the fountain roller 10 supply as much of. the type matter 14 as possible and that ink supplied from portion a: and carried over by the disk B supply as little of the type matter 14 as necessary. Having satisfied himself that the proper quantity of ink is being fed to the ,fountain roller 10 at the portions a: and y thereof, the operator corrects the trial adjustment, preferably lengthening, but shortening if necessary, the throws of the disk B and shifting the left hand limit (line 17) of the inked portion y to the right or left according to the quantity of ink being carried over by thev disk B. Thus, the desired zonal apportionment of the ink is had at the form and the ink in the respective zones evenly distributed. It will be understood that the inked portion y of the fountain feed roller 10 maybe coextensive with the width of the type matter 14 and the right hand limit (line 16) of the inked portion v:1: disposed to the left ofthe right edge of the cut 13. In such case, the ink carried over at the top of the disk B would be relied upon to supply the right hand portion of thecut 13. However, the average operator will more readily secure suitable adjustments of the feed screws 12 and of the disk turning mechanism in following the above described preferredpractice.

In Fig. 2, the form D is shown as being made up of acut' 13 and type matter 14, said two elements being more widely spaced apart than the corresponding elements shown in Fig. 1 and the inking requirements thereof being more nearly alike. In this example, the steps taken by the disk B would'be lengthened and a greater portion of the type matter 14 supplied with ink carried .over from the inked portion a: of the fountain roller 10 than in the first example.

In the example shown in Fig. 3, the form elements 13 and 14 are similar to the form elements shown in Fig. 1, except that the cut 13 requiring heavy inking is disposed at the right of the form D and the type matter 14 requiring lighter inking is disposed at the left of the form. Here, the portion y of the fountain roller 10 will be relatively heavily inked to supply the cut 13 and the portion at of said roller 10 will be relatively lightly inked to supply ink to the portion of the type matter to the left of line 19. That portion of the type matter 14 to the right of said line 19 will be supplied with ink originating at the inked portion y of the fountain roller10 and carried over'at the bottom of the disk B. The extent of movement of the disk, at each step thereof, will be limited as in the example shown in Fig. 1, due to the limited space between the two form elements 13, 14 and to the relatively great difference in the inking requirements of the said elements.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example somewhat similar to that shownin Fig. 2, the form element 13 requiring the greater quantity of ink being disposed at the right of the form D and the form element 14 requiring the lesser quantity of ink being disposed at the left of the form. In this case, as in the example shown in Fig. 2, the steps taken by the disk B will be relatively long to promote even distribution of ink over each of the form elements but yet short enough to preserve the proper zonal apportionment of ink over said elements 13, 14, respectively.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate examples wherein the inking disk B is rocked back and forthinstead of being progressively advanced, step-by-step, in one direction. In each case, portion :r of the fountain roller 10 will be inked relatively heavily to supply the form element 13 which requires relatively heavy inking, while portion y of the roller 10 will be inked relatively lightly to supply the form element 14 requiring relatively light inking and the extent of the angular movement of the disk B at each rocking throw thereof preferably will be so limited that the disk B will not move, perimetrically, substantially more at the perimeter than one-half the distance betweenthe two form elements 13 and 14. This limitation of movement ofthe disk B, if followed, avoids reducing the lengths of the inked portions 9:, y, and particularly the latter, to less than the widths of their respective form elements to accommodate ink carried over by the disk B. the example shown in Fig. 6, the throw of the disk B, as compared with the example shown in .Fig. 5, could be considerably increased and preferably would be to promote distribution of the zonally apportioned ink.

Our method, as'will be readily comprehended, involves the periodical turning, or other movement, of the disk, or other ink-plate, to a determined extent which is sufiicient to promote distribution and avoid streaks, but not sufficient to prevent the desired zoning of the ink. The extent of each step of such turning or other movement will depend upon related factors, to promote uniformity of ink distribution in the different zones of the form and, at the same time, to insure the application of ink to the form in appropriately varying degree in the respective zones thereof. The method admits of latitude in the adjustment of the fountain feed screws, since the variably controlled movement of the disk is often In i.

susceptible of suitably compensating for rough adjustments of said feed screws. In practicing our present method, many operators have secured excellent results, under wide ranges of conditions,

in platen presses in which the variably controlled movement of the inking disk provides for a very small angular shifting thereof, at each step. The minimum controlled movement of the disk has successfully met the more difficult problems in inking various parts of the form in various degree encountered in the general run of business with marked success and with tolerance in the matter of feed screw adjustment. Similar success has been experienced under conditions permitting of the various larger controlled movements of the inking disk.

We claim:

1. The method of inking a printing form, through an inking roller movable back and forth over the form and over an ink-plate, to procure different zonal apportionments of ink at the form, said method comprising the steps of successively applying ink to the ink-plate in apportioned quantities in zones extending lengthwise in the direction of travel of the inking roller and of such lateral dimensions and relative disposition as to accord with the desired zonal apportionment of ink at the form, intermittently moving the ink-plate step-by-step, and regulating the extent of movement of said ink-plate at each step to promote uniformity in the distribution of ink in the different zones of said ink-plate and on corresponding portions of the roller and form, Without substantially affecting the development, at the form, of zonal apportionment of ink at the ink-plate.

2. The method of inking a printing form, through an inking roller movable back and forth over the form and over an ink-plate, to procure different zonal apportionments of ink at the form, said method comprising successively applying ink to the ink-plate in apportioned quantities in zones extending lengthwise in the direction of travel of the inking roller and of such lateral dimensions and relative disposition as to accord with the desired zonal apportionment of ink at the form, moving the ink-plate to distribute the ink, and controlling such movement of the ink-plate to maintain the zonal apportionment of ink at the form in accordance with the apportionment of ink at said ink-plate.

3. The method of inking a printing form to procure different zonal apportionments of ink thereon, through an inking roller movable back and forth over the form and over an ink-plate, said method comprising the steps of successively inking the ink plate in various degrees at different parts thereof to provide, through said inkplate, a supply of ink for the form which varies in degree at different parts of the form, moving the ink-plate to promote the distribution of the ink, and variably controlling the movement of said ink-plate to provide for the desired zonal apportionment of ink at said form to accord with the apportionment of ink at said ink-plate.

4. The method of inking in a printing press in which ink is carried by form rollers from a fountain fed inking disc to a form and applied thereto, as predetermined, in different zones and in different degree in the respective zones, said method embracing the step-by-step angular movement of the plate for promoting uniformity of ink distribution in said zones of the form, and involving the variable limitation of such movement of said disk, in respect to the predetermined zonal inking of said form to avoid any objectionable departure therefrom.

5. The method of inking a printing form to varying degrees in different parts thereof through rollers movable over the form and over an inkdisk, said method comprising the steps of similarly applying to the ink-disk successive films of ink of like predetermined character, each varying in quantity laterally of the ink-disk, and imparting to the ink-disk an intermittent angular movement, limited at each step, to provide for the inking of the form in various degrees at different parts thereof in manner approximating that of said ink-disk.

6. The method of inking a printing form to varying degrees in different parts thereof, through an inking roller movable over the form and over an ink-plate, said method comprising the steps of applying films of ink to the ink-plate, successively, in like manner, each similarly varying in quantity laterally of the ink-plate, and in imparting to the ink-plate, in its own plane, movements, regulated in extent, to promote ink distribution and to control the inking in varying degrees of different parts of the form to accord with the variations of the ink laterally of the ink-plate.

'7. The method of inking a printing form by means of an inking roller movable between the form and an ink-plate, which includes the steps of successively applying ink to said ink-plate to a greater extent in one zone, substantially in line with the movement of the inking roller, thereof than in another, and successively moving said ink-plate to a predetermined extent which is sufficient to distribute upon the ink roller ink received from said ink-plate but insufficient to prevent the zonal inking of the form substantially in proportion to the zonal inking of the ink-plate.

8. The method of inking a printing form by means of inking roller movable between the form and an ink-plate mounted for angular movement in the plane traversed by the inking roller, which includes the steps of successively applying ink to said ink-plate to a greater extent in one zone, substantially in line with the movement of the inking roller, thereof than in another, and successively angularly moving said ink-plate in steps of a predetermined amplitude suflicient to distribute upon the ink roller ink received from said ink-plate but insuflicient to prevent the zonal inking of the form substantially in proportion to the zonal inking of the ink-plate.

9. The method of inking a printing form by means of an inking roller movable between the form and an ink plate, which includes the steps of successively applying layers of ink to the plate, successively moving the roller to and from the form and across a portion of said plate,

whereby incidentally to the transference of ink by the roller to the form from the plate the ink on said portion is rolled in a direction parallel with the direction of movement of the roller, and successively moving the plate, intermediate the movements of the roller, to place the direction of rolling the ink thereon, at a given cycle of the press, at an angle with the direction with respect to the plate in which rolling occurred at the preceding cycle, such angle being substantially the same at each cycle, and determined in accordance with the inkadistribution requirements of the work being printed.

ABEL KLUGE. ENEVAL KLUGE. 

